A Personal Voyage
M106 and NGC 4248 in Canes Venatici

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Around 4AM in the morning, when I thought I had this project ready, I started thinking about how often this hobby is a singular pursuit- much of it spent alone with complex instruments or in front of a monitor and keyboard- always traveling to the edge of forever (without ever moving). It's hard to share the sense of discovery with others as you experience it. It's very personal. Thankfully, family and friends are indulgent as we set out on each new journey to seek some kernel of truth. Our path is littered with postcards of places we've been, things we've seen. These are what we share. Ultimately, though, they are just mementos of each trip... My latest expedition concerns one of the most feminine celestial subjects I have yet encountered- M106. Its curvaceous shape and gentle pastel colors suggest a sensuality that eludes its true dispassionate nature. We see her lounging serenely, attendant at her side, patiently drifting on her own course as eternity passes by.

150 minutes Luminance (1X1),
45 minutes Red,
27 min Green and
54 min Blue (2X2)

RCOS 20 inch (f/8)
SBIG STL-11000XM